2025 Sound Wall Workshop
Virtual, On Demand, PLC MicroBoost™ Option(You select the date and times)
8am - noon CST or Noon to 4pm EST
The Phoneme Connection: How Sound Walls Transform Literacy Learning
Dates: Sept. 24th, Oct. 9th, Oct. 14th, Oct. 22nd, or Oct. 24th
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The Phoneme Connection: How Sound Walls Transform Literacy Learning
Discover how sound walls bring clarity to the relationship between speech sounds and print. This session will explore the what, why, and how of implementing phoneme-focused instruction, giving educators practical strategies to strengthen foundational reading skills and accelerate student literacy growth.
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This engaging session is designed for teachers, interventionists, and educational leaders interested in enhancing phonemic awareness and phonics instruction through the use of a Sound Wall (Phoneme Focus Wall).
A sound wall is a powerful instructional tool that deepens students’ understanding of how sounds connect to print. Unlike a traditional word wall—where words are displayed alphabetically by their first letter—a sound wall is organized around the 44 phonemes (speech sounds) in the English language. Each phoneme is paired with its graphemes—the letter or letter combinations that represent that sound in writing.
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To support student learning, sound walls often include visual cues such as pictures of mouth positions, helping students understand how sounds are formed. These visuals, combined with explicit instruction, allow students to grasp the mechanics of speech and strengthen the link between oral language and written language.
Unlike word walls, which can overwhelm or confuse emerging readers with irregular spellings, sound walls provide a logical, structured, and research-based approach to literacy. By starting with what students know best—spoken language—a sound wall creates a bridge to fluent reading and writing, empowering students to succeed in every aspect of literacy development.
Participants in this session will:
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Gain a clear understanding of what a sound wall is.
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Explore the benefits of using this tool to support phonemic awareness and phonics instruction in kindergarten through second grade.
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Discover its effectiveness in Tier II and Tier III interventions across all grade levels.
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Learn practical strategies for implementing the Phoneme Focus Wall (PFW) in their instructional settings.
Join us to deepen your knowledge and leave with actionable steps to effectively integrate the Phoneme Focus Wall into your teaching practice!
Sound Wall vs. Word Wall
Word walls are traditionally arranged alphabetically, with words organized by their initial letter. For example, under the letter “A,” you might find cards with words such as “are,” “and,” and “any.” These walls are meant to provide students with a visual reference for spelling, sight word recognition, and vocabulary building. Historically, teachers have used word walls to reinforce common sight words and introduce new vocabulary.
Sound walls, however, are organized by sounds rather than printed letters, shifting the focus from print to speech. This fundamental difference makes sound walls a more effective tool for teaching reading.
Why Register...
Phoneme Focus Wall: A Sound Wall Tool workshop is a must for educators:
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Deepen Your Literacy Instruction
Gain a thorough understanding of sound walls, a powerful instructional tool that emphasizes phonemic awareness and phonics—key components in developing reading proficiency. -
Bridge Oral Language and Literacy
Learn how to connect speech sounds (phonemes) to their written counterparts (graphemes), empowering students to decode and spell words effectively. -
Support All Learners
Whether you teach kindergarten, first, or second grade, or work in Tier II and III interventions, this workshop equips you with strategies to meet diverse learning needs. -
Practical Implementation
Walk away with actionable steps to integrate a Phoneme Focus Wall into your classroom, transforming how students approach reading and spelling. -
Engaging Visuals and Techniques
Discover how to use visuals, such as mouth position diagrams, to help students understand how sounds are produced, making the learning process interactive and memorable. -
A Modern Alternative to Word Walls
Understand how sound walls differ from traditional word walls and why they’re a more effective approach for emerging and struggling readers.
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By attending, you’ll not only enhance your own teaching practice but also help your students build a strong foundation in literacy that leads to long-term success.
Registration Options
Educators can engage with The Phoneme Connection: How Sound Walls Transform Literacy Learning in the format that works best for their schedule:
✅ Live Virtual Session – Join us on your selected date for an interactive, real-time learning experience.
✅ Recorded On-Demand Access – Can’t make the live session? Register and receive the full recording to watch at your convenience.
✅ PLC MicroBoost Option – Schools and districts may select this training as a MicroBoost session to be delivered during their Professional Learning Communities (PLCs). Perfect for short, focused team learning that integrates directly into existing PLC structures.
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📅 Select your date and format at registration.
